(no subject)
Just been comparing the free pregnancy guide supplied by the NHS from when I was pregnant with E and the one I got on Monday when we went for the scan. (Everything fine by the way, though baby didn't want to co-operate, and we still don't know who we have in there!) The difference in the treatment of home birth as an option really struck me - have copied out the extracts from the two different editions below Just Because. ;-) The latest version isn't perfect by any means, but it's a vast improvment on the 2007 one. There is hope yet!
The Pregnancy Book - 2007 edition.
[Information given in a section called “The Basic Options” on where you can have your baby, after the info on hospital births.]
Some women want to have their babies at home because:
They feel they will be happier and better able to cope in a place they know and with their family around them
IF they have other young children there will be no need to leave them to go into hospital
They will have more privacy
They will be able to relax more and will not have to fit into a hospital routine
They are more likely to get to know the midwife who will be with them during the delivery
One or two midwives will stay with you while you're in labour, and, if any help is needed or labour is not progressing as well as it should, will summon a doctor or transfer you to hospital by ambulance.
If you are considering a home delivery, contact your midwife. Some people think that women should not have homebirths because they argue that they are unsafe. In fact, research suggests that a home delivery is as safe as a hospital for women who have uncomplicated pregnancies. You have the right to choose to have your baby at home. Your doctor or midwife may advise against this if they think that you are at risk of complications during labour. However, this may be difficult to judge if this is your first baby.
Find out whether your own GP will be prepared to care for you during your pregnancy and a home birth. If he or she cannot help, there may be another in the district who can. You can then register with this GP for your maternity care and continue to see your own GP for any other medical treatment. The local supervisor of midwives or your Primary Care Trust can give you the names of GPs with a special interest in pregnancy and childbirth.
To arrange for maternity care to be led by a team of midwives, contact the local supervisor of midwives at your nearest hospital who will arrange for a midwife to visit you at home and discuss the home delivery. The midwife may also be able to provide most or all of your antenatal care at home. You can contact her directly when labour starts and she will stay with you during labour and the birth of your baby.
The Pregnancy Book - 2009 edition
[Information comes before that on hospital births this time, after short sections of Safety and Making An Informed Decision.]
Home Births
If you have a straightforward pregnancy and both you and the baby are well, you might choose to give birth at home. In England, approximately 1 in 50 babies is born at home.
If you give birth at home, you will be supported by a midwife, who will support you while you are in labour. If you need any help or your labour is not progressing as well as it should, your midwife will make arragements for you to be transferred to hospital.
The advantages of giving birth at home include the following:
You can give birth in familiar surroundings where you may feel more relaxed and able to cope.
You don't have to interrupt your labour to go into hospital.
You will not need to leave your other children.
You will not have to be separated from your partner after the birth.
You are more likely to be looked after by a midwife who you have got to know during your pregnancy.
The things you should consider include the following:
You may need to transfer to a hospital if there are any complications.
Epidurals are not available at home.
Your doctor or midwife may recommend that you give birth in hospital, for example if you are expecting twins or if your baby is breech, You midwife or doctor will explain why they think hospital is safer for you and your baby.
Planning a Home Birth
Ask your midwife whether or not a home birth is suitable for you and your baby or available for you. If it is, your midwife will arrange for members of the midwifery team to support and help you.
Here are some of the questions that you might want to ask:
How long would it take if you needed to be transferred to hospital?
Which hospital would you be transferred to?
Would a midwife be with you all the time?
How do you obtain a birthing pool?